Pixel 3 will only have gesture-based navigation, no traditional software buttons

06 August 2018
This has emerged through an interview with EK Chung, Google's UX manager for Android handheld and Pixel.

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  • Anonymous
  • jIa
  • 13 Oct 2018

You smear more of the phone's screen with your fingerprint.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • MwH
    • 09 Aug 2018

    Vegetaholic, 08 Aug 2018This is absolute nonsense, we don't need some crappy Apple-... moreGestures are more natural and easier to use than navigation buttons. Just as pinch-to-zoom (also invented by Apple) is easier to use than 'zoom in' and 'zoom out' buttons that we used to have on the first generations of touchscreen phones.

    And no worries, once you are using gestures for a week or so, you won't even think about touching any navigation buttons. It's just natural.

      This is absolute nonsense, we don't need some crappy Apple-like navigation system to control perfectly controllable phone with simple back, switch app and home buttons, Google is really starting to anoy. Plus upcoming pixel phones looks straight from garbage bins from 2015. Single camera, stupid notches, and look of peace of soap bar, Jesus how they needed it up so badly this year

        It sounds reasonable. The software keys on the bottom of the screen are not comfortable to use with big display phones with one hand. The balance is lost and the phone could be easily dropped. The gestures compensate this some how. Of course the smartest is to stop making huge display devices, but since the people prefer big things to compensate their small brains and dicks, this won't happen soon.
        PS. I am curious will the Pixel 3 be with 6 inch screen and the XL model will go up to 11 iches

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          • Someone
          • N5b
          • 08 Aug 2018

          Anonymous, 07 Aug 2018I wonder who decided that gesture was the future? Probably ... moreThe gestures is one of the best Google's decisions!
          The notch is a different story even though, I think it's not that bad as long as it can be hidden.

            Anonymous, 07 Aug 2018I like software buttons, changing orientation makes more se... moreBasically either a part of your screen becomes bezel (while being more expensive and fragile) or the buttons are hidden and you need an extra swipe for them to show. Both options are a disaster.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • ame
              • 07 Aug 2018

              I wonder who decided that gesture was the future? Probably the same person who decided that edge to edge display (at the expense of screen symmetry) was also the future.

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                • Exec
                • LiX
                • 07 Aug 2018

                Anonymous, 07 Aug 2018But Apple gestures are perfect. When I even get to touch an... moreYes they work in iP10, but gestures also works in OnePlus, Xiaomi phones. Only difference is, that you can use gestures OR buttons in their stock UI (options to chose), and there Android won over iOS. Pixel 3 will be back in 17th centrury if they went only with gestures. But, at least is Google UI, so no impact on others, better known OEMs (Samsung, Huawei, Sony, LG, OnePlus, Xiaomi...).

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • MwH
                  • 07 Aug 2018

                  Aslipundit, 07 Aug 2018Google is getting there in terms of restrictions on the OS,... moreWhat does 'closed and restrictive OS' mean? I'm having a hard time understanding what this is, when talking about a phone/tablet.

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                    • Anonymous
                    • UN5
                    • 07 Aug 2018

                    PeterThePanda, 07 Aug 2018Plus, they did plenty of dumb things in iOS 11 like that Ho... moreHmm, each phone has its own issues incl. both iPhone and Pixel too.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • GT2
                      • 07 Aug 2018

                      PeterThePanda, 07 Aug 2018Go ahead, and enjoy your mediocre screen-on-time, excessive... moreI've already enjoyed the taste of freedom with custom ROMs and rooting on my many previous android phones. Also, I'd once used a jailbroken device before in the old glorious skeuomorphic day. Thx for that warning.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • MwH
                        • 07 Aug 2018

                        Aslipundit, 07 Aug 2018Errm, you have the iphone perfectly suited to your needs. W... moreBut Apple gestures are perfect. When I even get to touch an old school phone with navigation buttons/bar, I feel like I've stepped in the 17th century. Seriously, iOS gestures are so good you don't even have to think about them. They just come natural to everyone.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • bH1
                          • 07 Aug 2018

                          Everyone is copying blackberry BB10.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • UNx
                            • 07 Aug 2018

                            I have a pie, I have a apple
                            Uh! Apple-Pie!

                              Anonymous, 07 Aug 2018No, gestures is what kept android back for ages. It is much... moreErrm, you have the iphone perfectly suited to your needs. We love the back button as well as software navigation keys. They are easier and more intuitive to use and offer a better user experience. Swiping the screen and making funny movements for even basic UI tasks is not really a great experience. It sucks.

                              While we are at it, BlackBerry 10 OS incorporated gestures through out the OS and it was horrible to use.

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                                • Anonymous
                                • n5p
                                • 07 Aug 2018

                                I used Gestures on my Oneplus 5T for two days before switching back to onscreen navigation buttons.

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                                  • Moto Master
                                  • 0$R
                                  • 07 Aug 2018

                                  Why are so many people whining? Having software buttons was totally stupid! So either real buttons or no buttons at all but nothing half baked in between! That's what I really like about Apple

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • 6jr
                                    • 07 Aug 2018

                                    dvdivx, 06 Aug 2018I predict good sales for nova and other launcher apps.No, gestures is what kept android back for ages. It is much more natural way to navigate through your home. Nova and co will copy as always

                                    Edit: as always they didn't go through it. Instead we are getting the terrible back button again (in miui it is swipe from the right or left edge, on google phones it's still that terrible button that is both slow and takes space from the screen)

                                      Android 9 Pie is like iOS and Pixel 3 looks like iPhone. Wonder where Google is headed now. All the differentiations are going with every iteration. Multitasking should be in the hit list as well now. Fragmentation, security, too many OEMs, etc. Google is making Android a mess. Sad situation for consumers now.

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • PGq
                                        • 07 Aug 2018

                                        I bet Google's current CEO owns an iPhone X (sarcasm) which means he like gestures. RIP Pixel, from now on, you are called iPixel.

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